Calling BA at midnight to book reward flight – tips from anyone who has done it?
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Hello,
I thought I’d add another data point for you all.
I rang +1 (800) 452-1201 @ 00:40 on 6th April and went to new bookings with voucher (Barclays Cabin Upgrade)
I was put through to a lovely women from Manchester who was finishing at 1am. She asked me what I was after and I explained this is my first time trying to book a redemption and that I wanted LHR-HND.
She told me to call back as she wouldn’t wait 15 minutes but she changed her mind after saying this, I don’t know if it was my clear hesitation or what but she stayed on the phone with me until about 1:10!
Not only did we grab it first time, but she also adjusted it to MAN-LHR-HND for me as I am in MAN.
So my experience for a first time redeemer has been brilliant. From what I gather though this might be a bit out the ordinary.
For anyone wanting to add the free leg from a connecting airport, get it done after. They won’t charge you anything.
From reading the various threads and my own experience trying the other night (and failing but managing to get my flight out online), I think it will be totally hit and miss regardless which number you call as I think ultimately you are getting put through to a call centre which appear to be either UK or India. Whether they will then help you or not presumably depends on which agent you get through to and if they really understand what you are trying to do and want to help.
But which country’s line you call may determine whether you manage to get through to someone. From what I’ve ascertained, if you don’t manage to get through to someone on the US line by 0055 BST, you will get cut-off with a message saying that the office is closed. Monday to Friday, the Australian line will be open over 1am BST (it opens 12am BST) but the person I got through to in India on that number said they couldn’t help me and then gave me the US number instead which then cut me off at 0055. I tried Australia again after US cut me off but was still holding by time 0100 ticked over and booked the flights online instead. I will need to call to add return flights though as I don’t have enough avios to book that online.
In case helpful, for calling the Australia number, I downloaded the Rebtel app. They charge £4 a month for unlimited calls to Aus but first 7 days is free and can cancel free anytime in that period. Call quality was very good (better than I got on Skype to US). I think you could do same thing for Japan too (but my understanding is that Japan line only opens at 1am BST so may be too late to actually secure seats you want).
The system is a bit of a joke – any chance of it changing soon?
Nope – BA is not remotely interested in making it easier for you to redeem your avios for high-value flights!
The system is a bit of a joke – any chance of it changing soon?
The system for booking Avios flights is just fine if you book them in the ordinary way. It’s only those insisting on booking at T-355 and trying to circumvent the terms that are having to go through these midnight calling shenanigans etc. In this instance, it’s not BA that has made the system a joke.
It’s remarkable to see after all that apparent effort, just how many of those bookings then get cancelled in the following hours, days or month.
The system is a bit of a joke – any chance of it changing soon?
The system for booking Avios flights is just fine if you book them in the ordinary way. It’s only those insisting on booking at T-355 and trying to circumvent the terms that are having to go through these midnight calling shenanigans etc. In this instance, it’s not BA that has made the system a joke.
It’s remarkable to see after all that apparent effort, just how many of those bookings then get cancelled in the following hours, days or month.
I’d be happy for those initial T-355 reward seats to be non-refundable to be honest.
The system is what it is.
When people sugegst what they think are improvements really aren’t improvmenets or are just ones that will help that particular person.
Changing the midnight BST time to say 11am would still lead to people calling just before then and the same issues.
I don’t have an AMEX so no vouchers and there are plenty of changes I’d suggest but most people won’t like them.
I’d probbaly start with only making them available online.
Not sure making them non refundable would work as there is a US regulation that means airlines have to offer a 24 hour cooling off period.
Agree make it an even playing field, online only
Hello,
I thought I’d add another data point for you all.
I rang +1 (800) 452-1201 @ 00:40 on 6th April and went to new bookings with voucher (Barclays Cabin Upgrade)
I was put through to a lovely women from Manchester who was finishing at 1am. She asked me what I was after and I explained this is my first time trying to book a redemption and that I wanted LHR-HND.
She told me to call back as she wouldn’t wait 15 minutes but she changed her mind after saying this, I don’t know if it was my clear hesitation or what but she stayed on the phone with me until about 1:10!
Not only did we grab it first time, but she also adjusted it to MAN-LHR-HND for me as I am in MAN.
So my experience for a first time redeemer has been brilliant. From what I gather though this might be a bit out the ordinary.
For anyone wanting to add the free leg from a connecting airport, get it done after. They won’t charge you anything.
Congrats on bagging your seats! Also currently after LHR-HND with two Barclays upgrade vouchers to use.
I’ve not been getting northern Brits on my recent calls which is what I think has got me the seats on previous vouchers as they just seem to know what they are doing.
My first call a few weeks back the agent (in India?) put me on hold past midnight to find out how to do it! No luck online.
The second night I didn’t even get through on the phone, but managed to get all the way to payment online and it failed as the seats had gone.
Tonight I was too slow for the business or premium seats online as the page refreshed (arghh!!) and just economy was showing. The agent (in India again?) on the phone knew what to do but had no urgency and they had gone. Round four tomorrow… wish me luck!
I had luck with Barbados flights calling the Australia number – which was then answered by an Indian call centre. The agent wasn’t clocking off when the flights were released and knew what to do.
If I have to do this again, I’d definitely be looking for a country call centre number that doesn’t finish at midnight / 1am British time.
I thought I’d add another data point for you all.
I rang +1 (800) 452-1201 @ 00:40 on 6th April and went to new bookings with voucher (Barclays Cabin Upgrade)
I was put through to a lovely women from Manchester who was finishing at 1am. She asked me what I was after and I explained this is my first time trying to book a redemption and that I wanted LHR-HND.
She told me to call back as she wouldn’t wait 15 minutes but she changed her mind after saying this, I don’t know if it was my clear hesitation or what but she stayed on the phone with me until about 1:10!
Not only did we grab it first time, but she also adjusted it to MAN-LHR-HND for me as I am in MAN.
So my experience for a first time redeemer has been brilliant. From what I gather though this might be a bit out the ordinary.
For anyone wanting to add the free leg from a connecting airport, get it done after. They won’t charge you anything.
Thank you Eel8750 – very helpful and well done on getting your tickets.
Can I check – where you charged the taxes in £GBP (and the same amount as if booking online) even though technically this was the a US line?
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